title: [Endoscopic approach to ventricular atrium for biopsy of pineal region tumour: case report].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The usual endoscopic approach in the management of pineal region tumours consists of inserting the scope into the frontal horn of the lateral ventricle and advancing it through the foramen of Monro into the third ventricle. We report the case of a patient with a pineal tumour on whom we used an endoscopic approach through the ventricular atrium to obtain a biopsy by opening the choroidal fissure.
  
  
  METHODS
  This young 25-year-old man presented with headache and double vision. Papilloedema and Parinaud's syndrome were found on physical examination. Cranial magnetic resonance revealed a pineal mass and hydrocephalus. We initially performed a third ventriculostomy and a tumour biopsy through a frontal burr hole. The tissue sample was not useful for pathological diagnosis and we decided to perform a second endoscopic biopsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endoscopic approach to pineal region masses, reaching the ventricular atrium through a parietal burr hole and opening the choroidal fissure, makes it possible to take a biopsy using a single endoscopic approach without needing to cross other ventricular structures.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Abel Santamaría Cuadrado, Pinar del Río, Cuba. Electronic address: odahernleon@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Odalys
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hernández-León
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Abel Santamaría Cuadrado, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
authors.forename: Olga Lidia
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Villalonga
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Abel Santamaría Cuadrado, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
authors.forename: Frank Reinaldo
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Pérez-Nogueira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Abel Santamaría Cuadrado, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
authors.forename: Evelio José
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Guillén-Cánovas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Abel Santamaría Cuadrado, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
authors.forename: Nilo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Toledo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario Abel Santamaría Cuadrado, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemus-Saraceni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004172:Diplopia / Q000209:etiology; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018237:Germinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010211:Papilledema / Q000209:etiology; D010871:Pinealoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012074:Remission Induction; D014696:Ventriculostomy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Atrio ventricular; Biopsia endoscópica; Endoscopia; Endoscopy; Intraventricular tumour biopsy; Pineal tumours; Sin hidrocefalia; Third ventriculostomy; Tumores pineales; Ventricular atrium; Ventriculostomía; Without hydrocephalus